Earth Science Week 2014 Contests Announced

Alexandria, VA – In celebration of Earth Science Week 2014, the American Geosciences Institute (AGI) is sponsoring three national contests honoring this year’s theme, “Earth’s Connected Systems.” This year’s competitions will feature a photography contest, a visual arts contest, and an essay contest.

Students, geoscientists, and the general public are invited to participate in this year’s photography contest, “Connections in My Community.” Entries must be composed of original, unpublished material, and show where you observe the dynamic interactions of earth systems in your community.

This year’s visual arts contest, “Earth’s Connected Systems and Me” is open to students in grades K-5. Scientists study, for example, how water shapes the land, how living things use air, and how air and water act on each other. How do such connected systems affect you? Use artwork to show how land, water, air, and living things are connected in the world around you.

Finally, students in grades 6 through 9 may participate in the essay contest. This year’s essays must address the idea of “Earth System Science in Today’s World.”

Submissions will be judged by a panel of geoscientists on creativity, relevance, and incorporation of the topic at hand. Selected winners will be awarded for their submissions.

The American Geosciences Institute is a nonprofit federation of 49 geoscientific and professional associations that represents more than 250,000 geologists, geophysicists and other earth scientists. Founded in 1948, AGI provides information services to geoscientists, serves as a voice of shared interests in the profession, plays a major role in strengthening geoscience education, and strives to increase public awareness of the vital role the geosciences play in society’s use of resources, resiliency to natural hazards, and interaction with the environment.